“Strong partnership with India is paramount for Europe”: European Commission President

The EU chief touched down in the national capital on Thursday evening and was received by the Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, Anupriya Patel.

New Delhi: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Sunday said that a strong partnership with India is paramount for Europe. She also shared her delight at the launch of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor.

Taking to her social media ‘X’, Ursula tweeted, “Thank you for your skilful leadership of the G20, @narandramodi. A strong partnership with India is paramount for Europe. Glad to see our Trade & Tech Council in action. And to have launched with you an historic project, the India “ Middle East “ Europe Economic Corridor.” European Commission President also highlighted the Free Trade Agreement and said, “We also look forward to progress on a Free Trade Agreement. This would unlock the great potential in our partnership.”

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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Saturday called the new economic corridor “historic” and said that these are state-of-the-art connections for the world of tomorrow, faster, shorter and cleaner.

The EU President said, “More large-scale projects are seeing the light. We are presenting two of them today. First the India-Middle East-Europe economic corridor. This is nothing but historic.” India, the United States, Saudi Arabia and the European Union on Saturday announced a historic agreement to soon launch a mega India-Middle East-Europe shipping and railway connectivity corridor.

Ursula von der Leyen while addressing the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII) and India Middle East Europe Economic Corridor event, highlighted that it will be the most direct connection between India, the Arabian Gulf and Europe to date.

She noted that this is also the spirit of the second project we announced today which is the Trans African Corridor.

Our goal is not only to connect the land-locked region to the sea, but our partnership will also invest in local value chains in green energy and in skills for the local workforce.

Earlier on Saturday, Ursula also said the EU will invest at least four billion euros in renewable energy and hydrogen in developing economies through its Global Gateway plan in the next five years.

The EU chief touched down in the national capital on Thursday evening and was received by the Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, Anupriya Patel.

India and the EU have a common interest in ensuring security, prosperity and sustainable development in a multi-polar world. Both India and the EU agreed to further build on these convergences and foster new synergies for jointly contributing to a safer, greener, cleaner, more digital, resilient and stable world, in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement.

The EU is India’s second-largest trading partner (after the US) and India’s second-largest export market. India is the EU’s 10th largest trading partner, accounting for 2 per cent of EU total trade in goods. Trade in services between the EU and India reached 40 billion euros in 2021.